Fairly Correct Tales
by FiresideChild
Summary: Duo is telling Mariemaia a bedtime story, what happens when she brings all her friends into the story? Will she ever let him end the story? What's she really sick with? And what the heck is the evil Relena trying to pull? 1x2, 3x4, 5x13, UnexSally, 6x?
1. Chapter 1

Duo Maxwell was known for many things; causing explosions, eating like a starved man, hoarding shiny objects and doodads, and

Duo Maxwell was known for many things; causing explosions, eating like a starved man, hoarding shiny objects and doodads, and of course, annoying Chang Wufei. But Duo the things that Duo was NOT known for were the most intriguing, at least in the eyes of Heero Yuy. But I'm getting ahead of myself and have forgotten the title and Intro to this story… and here it is…

Wufei: Are you Serious? THIS is your fanfic to end all fanfics?  
Quatre: That IS a bit sad…  
Trowa: Incredibly so.

Fire: SO WHAT DO I DO?! Write the bloody fairy tale that everyone's so fond of?  
Quatre/Trowa/Wufei: Yes.  
Fire: Sighes Fine. Here goes… Ladies and gentleman, Fireside Entertainment Presents _**Fairly Correct Tales**_ (or as I like to call it _**"How Storytelling Saved My Friend's Kid"**_ ). Heero disclaimer.  
Heero: Fireside owns nothing. Not one iota of Gundam. We all belong to our respective creator and she is in no way making money off of this. She's dirt poor really. She only owns the ideas, the plot, and the stupidity.

Chapter One: In Which We Meet Our Storyteller and His Protégé.

Duo Maxwell was good with children of any age, race, or upbringing. He never raised his voice in anger to them, never lost his patience, and always told the best bedtime stories. So when he was called up in the middle of the night by none other than Lady Une and Sally Po, he knew what was needed, but he didn't realize at first the severity of the situation. But, regardless of severity he sat up, pulled on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, picked up his Preventers' jacket and keys, and, barefooted, drove down to the Kushrenada Estate. The idea of something actually being wrong didn't hit him until a red-eyed Sally met him at the door, and when it did it hit hard. Soon Duo found himself sitting in a chair next to Mariemaia as she wheezed on the respirator.

"Hey there, Mimi. How ya holdin' up kiddo?" His soft tenor had a soothing quality to her as she struggled against pneumonia, or so the doctor assumed.  
"It's a cough is all, Duo." The girl was still as stubborn as he remembered. Her blue eyes were outlined with black and her skin seemed sallow. The poor kid was wasting away on that bed.

"Well, Uncle Duo is gonna make you feel better, okay?" he grinned widely and stood to look at the bookshelf, "Huh, _War and Peace_, _Lolita_, _The Complete Works of Poe_, _Eighteen Ways To Annoy Your Parents With Garlic_… Hm…slim picking. How about I tell you an original story tonight?" he asked as he spun to look at the ginger haired nine-year-old. Her widening eyes were all the answer he needed, so he plunked himself down in the chair and began.

"Once upon a time, 'cause it ain't a fairy tale if it don't got that at the beginning, there was a young princess. The princess's name was Mariemaia and she was a very precocious and bright girl. She lived in a faraway kingdom called Oz. Everyone in Oz was very happy and they loved their ruler, Emperor Treize, because he was always very fair to them and treated his people with a lot of respect instead of acting like a Machiavellian bastard. Oz was a prosperous nation and…yes Mimi?" He looked expectantly at the girl as she raised her hand.

"Is this going to be another one of those stories were the princess marries the prince and they live happily ever after and they never do anything else? I'm bored of those."

"Well, actually, in THIS story the princess doesn't get married to any princes or wizards or anyone at all! THIS story is about the princess's friends. Okay or do you want a different one?"

She shook her head lightly, "No, I like it…tell me about the princess's friends. Please, Uncle Duo?"  
"Okay then, well…. Now where was I… oh yeah! Her friends! Her first friend was a young jester in her court, his name was…uh…"

"Duo!"

"Okie doki then, his name was Duo. He was very funny and exciting and he LOVED to tell the princess a lot of stories. He was a very nice guy and he loved the princess very much. Now, the second friend was a young man of the court, he was a…a prince from another land! And his name was Quatre. And Quatre was kind and gentle and always helping people. And he was very nice to the princess and always brought her pretty clothes from his travels across the world. Now, Duo and Quatre and the princess were very close and always had tea together and lunch and they played hide and seek and… yes Mimi?"

"What about her friend the stable boy?"  
"The…uh…stable boy?"

"Yes! The stable boy who had light mouse brown hair and eyes like fresh leaves and who could tame any animal?"  
"AH! YES! HOW could I forget about the stable boy? Trowa the stable boy who had light mouse brown hair and eyes like fresh leaves, who could tame any animal and who would, every day, teach the princess the ways of Terra, mother to us all and all the creatures and plants! Well, Duo, and Trowa, and Quatre, and the princess were all very close and always had tea together and lunch and they played hide and seek and…YES…Mimi?"  
"What about the Dragon? And the Lady and The Doctor? And what about the soldier who saved Mariemaia so many times from so many dangers and… um…" She stopped as Duo sighed and shook his head, trying to quell his laughter.  
"We get to them in a bit. 'Kay?"  
"Okay."  
"Okay. So, Duo, and Trowa, and Quatre, and the princess were all very close and always had tea together and lunch and they played hide and seek until they had to go to bed. They were very happy with each other and never truly had a care in the world until ONE day when the …uh… the princess and prince from the next kingdom over came for a visit! The princess's name was Relena and she was very annoying and mean to common folk and she always wore pink. Pink gowns, pink shoes, pink bows, she even had an obnoxious pink carriage pulled by horses that had been dyed, you guessed it, PINK! Now, the prince was her big brother, Milliardo, and he was very nice and sweet and kind and he had a nice butt. Stop giggling."  
"I'm not giggling, I'm yawning, Uncle Duo."  
"Maybe we should leave off here for tonight. You need your sleep Mimi." His smile turned sad as he watched the poor girl cough. "How about this, you get some shut-eye and I'll stay RIGHT HERE and when you wake up I'll tell you more of the story…okay?" She nodded sleepily and yawned as she nestled down into her quilts.

"Tuck me in with a kiss, Uncle Duo?" she yawned again and her eyelids drooped.  
"Course Mimi." He leaned over her bed and pulled the cozy cover up to her chin and kissed her fevered forehead. "G'night, Mimi. Love you muchly."  
"Forever an' always?"  
"Forever an' always. Sweet dreams."

He smiled and sighed as he saw her breathing even out and deepen. He waited to ease himself onto the chaise, pulling his jacket over his shoulders, and letting his own eyes close and his dreams take him.

The Story Continues On Another Night…


	2. Chapter 2

Wufei: The stable boy

Wufei: The stable boy? Snorts  
Trowa: You will pay.  
Quatre: I think it's sweet!  
DUO THE DISCLAIM-Y-THINGY!

Duo: Fireside owns nothing. Not one iota of Gundam. We all belong to our respective creator and she is in no way making money off of this. She requests that no one sue her. She only owns the ideas, the plot, and the stupidity. Oh, and her dreams about Heero and I kissing.  
Heheheheheheheh…IT'S PRETTY, OKAY?!

Chapter Two: In Which The Princess And Her Friends Start Their Adventure

The former pilot of the Deathsythe awoke the next morning to the sounds of Sally Po telling Mariemaia to finish her juice. He glanced up to see a somewhat in the pink looking Kushrenada sitting up against her pillows. He was, to say the least, ecstatic.

"Mimi! You're all better!" he crowed, as he hopped up from his chair, "That must've been SOME cold to have…made…what?" His exuberant cries were silenced by a grave look from Sally.  
"She's not better yet. She'll be on complete bed rest for at least six months, maybe more. It wasn't a cold Duo. It's some form of tuberculosis, she must have contracted it while we were on L2." Sally's words were that of a doctor, not a friend, though her eyes glistened with tears. "I…I'd like you to stay, until she's better. For company you see."

He did. The only thing that she'd be able to do was sit in bed and listen to his stories, but he'd make them some wicked stories! He smiled and nodded his consent.

"Oh THANK you Uncle Duo!" Mimi hollered and she flung herself at him.

"Mariemaia! You get back in bed this instant! Duo still needs to gets his immunization and THEN he can come back and sit with you, am I understood, young miss?"

"Yes, Sally." Dejectedly she lay back against her pillows, her little lips drawn into a pout. Duo laughed at the idea of where she'd gotten the pout, Treize maybe? As he laughed he was watching Sally ready his immunization. After the immunization, Sally INSISTED that Duo eat something, and then she INSISTED he shower, and the she INSISTED that he at least get a more comfortable chair to sit in, and the she was told to stop INSISTING things or Duo INSISTED he'd knock her upside the head because he INSISTED he had NO qualms with beating up a "chick who INSISTS on every little thing". At that point Sally stomped off muttering something about a "Wufei Shaped Punching Bag" and Duo was left "insistence less" and quite proud of himself.

"Now Mimi," he chuckled as she stormed off, "Where was I in our story, huh sweetie?"  
The copper haired child smiled as she thought back, "You were talking about the Princess and her super-cute brother, Uncle Duo!" Duo's features softened at the look in her eyes.  
"Ah yes, the princess and the count." Mariemaia closed her eyes and waited for him to start the story.

"Well, The young Princess Mariemaia's birthday was approaching and the whole Capitol was abuzz with gossip over what the party would be like! One of the servants could swear on her gran's grave that the emperor had commissioned a whole new ballroom to be built while another said that it was going to be held in the gardens and lit with fairy lights!" As Duo's voice faded into her mind, her mind painted the images of a splendid castle settled amongst a bustling city. In fact, she couldn't even hear him anymore, his words simply became a dream that she was thrust into. His words melted into images as her imagination took over…

Duo Maxwell grinned to himself as he ran down the stone corridors of the Oz Palace. He'd finally found the PERFECT birthday present for his little czarina. He had a feeling in the tips of his fingers and toes, a buzzing tingle, which told him something would be special about this birthday! Then again, what birthday wasn't special, he thought to himself? His heavy footfalls rang out in the cavernous halls. His black tunic flapped against his chest with no sash to keep it from fluttering about in the wind. Without a word he skated to a stop in front of Mariemaia's playroom.

Pushing open the door, he was greeted with a familiar sight. The beautiful murals that adorned the walls of the room depicted four of the five kingdoms. The north wall showed the Dain Mountain Range, the Lake of La Rhou, and Selk Forest. A vast dune covered desert swallowed the south wall, in the middle laid the stunning city of Ba'al. The east wall was painted in various inks on fine silk, the Temple of the Dragon and mythological beauty of the orient adorning them. The last wall, the west wall, showed the White City in Sanq rising from lush green farmlands and rolling hills of wildflowers. The ceiling itself was parted in half, one side illustrating the sun and clouds with even a few birds while the other depicted a beaming crescent moon and a sky full of glimmering stars.

A miniature carriage sat in the middle of the room. Made of rosewood with golden leafing along the edges, downy velvet cushions, and reins made of the softest leather, it had seen many adventures. The "Chariot", as Mariemaia had proclaimed it, had seen imaginary ogres, thought-up fairies, and make-believe dragons a thousand times over. And it was there that the young princess now sat, head in hand and book on knees.

"Duo!" she exclaimed as she saw him enter, "Did you hear? Papa said I could invite the villagers to my party! Oh, it's going to be so much fun!" She rushed to her companion's side and hugged his middle.  
"I _did_ hear! I also heard that we would be getting visitors from almost _every_ kingdom! And I have good news that surpasses even _that_, my darling Czarina!"  
"Oh! Tell me! Tell me, tell me, and tell me! Oh, please?" she hopped about in little circles as she pleaded with her cohort.

"I heard from a little birdie that our good friend, Lord Quatre, has just arrived in the city walls and is on his way to come play with us at _this very moment_!" His grin widened as her eyes did and they both let out a small scream as they grabbed hands and rushed from the playroom.

The Story Continues On Another Night…


	3. Chapter 3

Yeah I know, it's been a while but my senior year started and life got shitty this summer and… Yeah, particulars aside, I was gone and now I'm back!

Duo: That is suckish.  
Quatre: Very.

Wufei: And in conclusion, Fireside owns nothing. Not one iota of Gundam. We all belong to our respective creator and she is in no way making money off of this. She requests that no one sue her. She only owns the ideas, the plot, and the stupidity.  
Trowa: She does have us as her muses though.  
Only 'cause I lurv you! //Loves them muchly//

Chapter Three: In Which Everyone Rolls Their Eyes… Repeatedly

The young sultan of the Iraba Desert gazed at an especially fascinating speck on the wall. His usually bright eyes were lidded and unfocused as he listened to yet another duchess flatter him to death. He was about to yawn for the thirty-seventh time when Duo and Mimi came crashing into the throne room. And then he heard what he dreaded most: the call of the dog pile.  
"Oh dear, Duo NO!" but it was too late, already had the brunette launched himself into the air. Mimi tackled him with much force about the waist and toppled him over, effectively ending his torture with the duchess. Soon all that was seen of poor little Quatre was his hand waving about for help and, possibly, air.

"Did you bring me a present?" piped the princess as she situated herself on his stomach. She knew he had done so. Her dear friend always brought her something from someplace he'd traveled; it was a sort of game really. She had to guess the item to obtain it and she was very good at guessing. Duo laughed and scolded her jokingly, as if he didn't want to see it just as much, if not more, than she did! The sunny Iraban youth smiled at his two best friends, no amount of wealth or privilege could substitute them.

Away from the commotion, a pair of eyes watched. They watched the Iraban's lithe form with a mixture of abhorrence and bewilderment. His body language showed no signs of fear or distrust, not like these so-called "nobles". None of the usual pomposity that was so typical of the "human kind". The observant eyes of the concealed Dain saw the entire splendor of nature in this dazzling young man. His senses eluded him much like the stag fled the hunter, all for the sight of a simple boy! It was ridiculous of him to be caught up in such childish acts. He forced his eyes away from the boy. Odd, he still felt as if he'd swallowed a humming bird. Shaking his head he turned from the spectacle and slipped out of the crowd. There was much more to this "Quatre" than these humans saw, and he vowed to uncover whatever it was, for the sake of his curiosity. Yes…that's right, curiosity.  
The emperor watched as his daughter frolicked about the room with her friends. He'd seen the way she asked the young prince for her "obligatory" gift. He'd seen Duo "scold" said princess for her unladylike behavior. And he'd even seen the Dain ogling Quatre. There was much eye rolling. Treize was the master of expressions, had he not been emperor he'd have been an actor. Drama queen that he was, nowhere NEAR as bad as Duo but still quite bad. Treize sighed and leaned back in his throne, watching the three make a spectacle. Clearing his throat he smiled as the occupants of the room looked his way.

"Sultan, it is a pleasure to see you back in my kingdom. I do hope you'll grace us with your presence at dinner. My little princess has been badgering me to send for you, even though she knows you have other duties to attend to." Quatre beamed at the child and nodded.

"Of course, Lord Treize, it would be my honor." Duo grinned and squeezed him.  
"Hear that, Mimi? Quat's gonna hang around for a bit!"

"Yippie! Quatre!"

The Dain is watching again, Treize thought, maybe he's been slain by our little sultan. HaHa, Slain, that's funny.

"Well, Master Trowa, what do you think of the kingdom so far?" The Dain's eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped forward. "Is it anything like your home of Ciros?" Many people gasped. Ciros was known to be a harsh land, ruled by magic and superstition. The Dain Mountains held many secrets and perils. It was widely believed that the humans of Ciros were barbarians, and this man did nothing to dispel the theory.

His thick brown hair hung in his eyes shading his face from view; his eyes were green like the land he came from and his complexion was darker than many in the room. His leather armored arms ran down to meet rough hands; his long legs were encased in coarse cloth as was his torso, and the lower part of his face was hidden by a bandana. He wore no boots of any kind, his feet padding silently on the cool floor.  
"No," rang his reply. "It's nothing like Ciros."  
"Master Trowa is a guest of mine. I believe he's from Selk, am I right?" A nod was all that was given this time. "He's here on behalf of his people, much like you Quatre." The aforementioned blonde looked at the new arrival.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lord Trowa." He bowed low, "I am Quatre of Ba'al. How do you find Oz?" The Dain flicked his eyes at him and stayed silent. Treize coughed and spoke up.

"He means do you like it here?"

"It is… different from home. It's warmer."  
"Quatre's brow furrowed, "Do you dislike the heat?"  
"No. Ciros gets hot in the summer, but I dislike being away from my land."

"Quat wouldn't understand that, Your Lord-ly-ness!" The little brunette bounced up to Trowa and Trowa stayed stock still. "He's always looking for a reason to come to Oz. He doesn't like how dry his home is! Must be why he's always slumming' it with me!" The princess walked over and rolled her eyes, a perfect imitation of her father.

"Ignore Duo; he's had too much sugar today. I'm Mariemia; I hope you don't feel too homesick here. If you do, you can go look at my room, I have a great big mural of Ciros on the north wall!" What sweet thoughts from such a little girl, the Dain thought to himself. She's definitely more than she seems though.

"Thank you, Princess." Treize rolled his eyes, that child was so selfless sometimes; she HAD to have gotten it from her mother because there was no way in HELL she got it from him! "I will hope you have not forgotten my reason for being here, Emperor. I don't wish to stay any longer than necessary. If you remember, I don't have time to-" He was interrupted by a colossal crash as the hall doors opened. A great parade of servants proceeded in followed by their masters, Princess Relena Peacecraft and her brother, Prince Milliardo.

The two of them, though similar, could easily be told apart. Relena's hair was more flaxen, Milliardo's more platinum. Relena was over bearing and obnoxious, and Milliardo was calm and sarcastic. Relena was a bitch, poor dear Milliardo was stuck with the bitch, sucks to be him. Anyway, the servants took their places serving people as Relena and her poor brother strode (or dragged themselves) toward the throne.

"Lord Treize, such a delight to be back in your realm!" squealed the monstrous pink princess. Milliardo, known to his close friends as Zechs, rolled his eyes at her obnoxious greeting.

"Lena, stop that, you'll damage the windows." He hissed. "Good to see you, Treize and Princess Mimi." He winked at the child, earning a grin from her.

"UNCLE ZECHS!" And thus the Prince of Sanq became reacquainted with the floor, and the word 'concussion'.

"Jeez, ya know Mimi, I'm starting to think that if we keep up this "tackling our friends to the floor of the throne room thing" we'll run out of friends!" laughed Duo.

Quatre nodded, "YES! And we'll all be lost to cold, hard marble flooring. This is why we beg your father to spring for a carpet in this room, our doctors' have begun to think you're trying to do us all in."

"I think I'm starting to get used to it actually." Said Zechs from the floor where he laid, the little girl still bouncing on his stomach.

"And so then all of a sudden-"

"Duo?"

The pilot looked over at his little friend, "Yes, Mimi?"

"Can we stop for now? I'm kinda sleepy." She yawned to show her point and snuggled deeper under her covers.

"Alrighty then. Snuggle in and I'll get Une and Sally to come say goodnight."

She nodded and curled up under her covers; Duo turned down the lights and smiled at her, "Goodnight, Princess Mimi."

" 'Night Duo. Love you."

The Story Continues On Another Night…

AFTERTHOUGHTS!

Okay, I'm gonna say a little about this universe of Duo's Story. It's called Terras. I know original right? The five kingdoms are: The northern kingdom of Ciros, The southern kingdom of Iraba, The eastern kingdom of Chin, the western kingdom of Sanq, and the center kingdom of Oz. All of the places are different in religion, government, landscape, and people. I know it's all topsy-turvy and wacked out but work with me here okay?!

ANY QUESTIONS PLZ SEND PLZKTHX!

MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL!

~Fireside


End file.
